Once you feel better after being sick or injured, as time passes you forget how terrible the illness or pain was. The same thing can be said about anything that brings discomfort. Technology issues can be so frustrating in the moment, but we quickly forget that frustration when everything is humming along working great.

During these periods of everything functioning as it should, many business owners or decision makers can start to question their need for a Managed IT Services Provider (MSP). They can sometimes feel like the solutions they have put in place will provide them stability for the foreseeable future and ask themselves why managed services are important. Another reason could include the fact that they don’t see what the MSP is doing on a daily basis to keep their network working properly. When they don’t see the day to day it can leave them asking “what am I even paying for?”

If you are considering ditching your MSP, because things are working great and you are certain you can manage it from here, there are several things you should know about what your managed IT services provider is doing behind the scenes.

Why managed services are necessary for your business

Updating systems

One of the most important things an MSP can do for their clients is to run regular updates on their systems. Not only do the servers need to be updated, but workstations as well. Software updates, operating system updates and driver updates are all essential to keeping your network running smoothly, and helps improve the security of your IT systems.

Many of the most prominent security breaches in recent years have come from a lack of updates on machines. Since a lot of these updates can happen automatically, it is easy to forget about them. MSP’s like Protek Support ensure that all computers they manage are fully updated on a regular basis.

Monitoring backups

Your company data is often irreplaceable. Customer, prospect, and vendor information can take years to curate. This data is often the most valuable part of your entire business. If your data is compromised due to malware, or otherwise lost due to hardware failure or damage, your company could be dead in the water.

Backups are not just a set and forget utility. Someone needs to be responsible for making sure the backups are working properly. This means verifying the integrity of the backup regularly though test restorations and ensuring that the backup is running on schedule.

Issues arise with backups frequently. Your MSP will usually resolve the problem and restore the backups to working condition. This is done behind the scenes. Business owners are rarely informed that there was an issue to begin with, since it was discovered and resolved quickly.

Enhancing security

Network security is rising in importance due to the unrelenting cyber attacks on businesses. Remaining aware of the latest threats and vulnerabilities can be a full time job. Due to the nature of a managed IT services business, it is their responsibility to stay on top of these security problems.

When you partner with an MSP they are already managing and monitoring your network. As threats and security breaches are made known, they can fix the problem on your network. This protects your business so you are not vulnerable to that particular attack. The MSP is also able to utilize tools to alert them if any malware appears on your network. The MSP can then stop it before it spreads. With an MSP someone is always watching your back.

Monitoring hardware failures

The check engine light on your car can point to trouble for you down the road. Hardware alerts can also signal an issue before it becomes a bigger problem. When one hard drive fails on a server, it is easy to replace that drive and continue working without any disruption of work. On the other hand if a hard drive fails and it is ignored, and then down the road another fails, you could lose all of the data on the server and experience significant downtime.

Hardware fails all the time. Knowing exactly when it happens can really help prevent larger outages and problems. MSPs are generally on top of these alerts and can help you get it resolved quickly.

Proactive maintenance is why managed services are a small business standard for IT support

The goal of most managed IT services providers is to proactively maintain your network. Doing so gives your business less problems, and need to contact support fewer times. When your network is working properly, the MSP has done its job.

You probably wouldn’t think that just because your car is working great you shouldn’t get the oil changed. Similarly when your body is performing properly would you stop going in for checkups? The same logic applies with your technology. Just because it is working great is no time to start thinking about ditching your provider!